Manually operable control valve



Aug. 20, 1963 w. 1.. LINDGREN 3,101,190

MANUALLY OPERABLE CONTROL VALVE Filed Nov. 25, 1957 INVENTORI WILLIAM L. LINDGREN XM,

ATT'YS i U ite States p 3,101,190 MANU ALLY OPERABLE CONTROL VALVE William L. Lindgren, Sycamore, 111.,- assignor to Turner Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov; 25, 1957, Sen-No. 698,723 3 Claims. (Cl. 25122 1) atcnt gas appliance of the type that burns gaseous fuel supplied under pressure from replaceable or refillable supply containers.

It is a general object of the invention to provide anew and improved valve of the type described.

Another object is to'provide a new and irnpuoved .valve of the type described for regulating the flow of fuel to a hand torch nozzle, including a movable valve member, means to adjust the valve v member' from a closed position to apartially open, pilot flame position and trigger means to move the valve member quickly [from the pilot flame position to a fullyopen, full flame position.

It is a more specific object'to provide a new and im proved valve of the type described including a needle valve member movable axially relative to a valve seat, a non-rotatable, axially movable sleeve having the valve member threadably mountedtherein, a spring'urging the sleeve and valve member toward the valve seat, means limiting movement of the sle'evefby the spring, a manually accessible part on the valve member for rotating the valve member to adjust the same relative to the valve seat from a closed position to a partially open position and further to a fully open position, a manually accessible trigger lever to move the valve member and sleeve axially in opposition to the spring from apartially open position to a fully open position, and" a stop engageable by the bushing. to limit. valve opening movement by' the trigger lever.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the .followingdetailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side'elevational' view of a hand torch including a valve embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. '2 isan enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the valve structure embodying the principles of this invention; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at about the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings .and..will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms,.and it should'be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not in tended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated. The scope of the invention will bepointed out in the appended claims. v

Referring now to the drawings, as illustrated, the invention is embodied in a hand torch illustrated in its ontirety in FIG. 1 and including a container 10 for pressurized fuel, a valve assembly 11 mounted on the fuel container, a fuel supply pipe 12 having one end con nected to the valve assembly and a burner nozzle '13 secured on the opposite end of the fuel supply pipe.

The container 10 is a commercially available item normally comprising a metal tank or the like filled with a liquified gaseous fuel, such as a petroleum gas, and is considered expendable or disposable as empty'containers 3,101,190- Patented Aug. 20, 1963 7 ice such as that indicated generally at 15 which may comprise a conventional structure for relieving excessive pressures. The. container 10 also normally includes a discharge valve housing 18 which is suitably secured in the upper wall 'of the tank and formed with a chamber 19 extending longitudinally through the housing. A discharge valve such as that illustrated at 20 is positioned in the chamber 19 to control the flow of fuel from the tank. As i1'lustrated,'the valve 20 comprises a commercially available tire valve including a tubular part 21, a valve closure member 22 adapted to seat against the lower end of the tube 21, a valve rod 23 secured to the valve member 22, and a spring (not visible) which functions to urge the valve member to seat against the tube 21. The valve member 22, 01? course, is additionally held against the valve seat by the pressure of fluid in the tank. The tubular part 21 of the valve includes an upper portion 24 which is threaded into the valve body,

compressing a sealing gasket 25 in the lower reduced end portion of the chamber 19. The valve 20 is adapted to be opened by means of a push pin 27 which forms a' part of the. valve assembly 11 mounted atop the container.

Alternatively, in lieu of the disposable supply con- -tainer 10, a larger refillable gas cylinder may be used,

with a hose attached thereto and a suitable handle assembly on the end of the hose for connection with the valve assembly 11.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the valve assembly 11 comprises a valve body 30 which, as illustrated, is an integral onepiece structure, although it could be otherwise. An enlarged lower'portion of the valve body is hollowed out and internally threaded at 31 to fit the external portion of the valve body 18 or to lit the handle assembly referred to if the latter is used. The push pin 27 is formed with an upper end portion 3 2 threaded into the valve body 30 until an annular shoulder 32a abuts the body 30 toform a lealeproof seal. A retaining ring 33 on the push pin holds an annular sealing member 34. When the valve assembly 11 is mounted on thevalve housing 18, the push pin '27 is inserted into the chamber 19 through an O-ring seal 35 and a retainer 36 for the seal, both of which are provided in the housing 18. The push pin thus forms a partof the removable valve assembly 11, and when the valve assembly is mounted on the replaceable container, the push pin extends downwardly into the chamber 19 to engage and depress the valve rod 23, opening the discharge valve 2tlto permit the flow of fuel fromthe container.

The push pin 27 is provided with a small longitudinal bore 37 therethrough for conducting fuel from the supply source to a passage 39 formed in the valve body 39. Fuel enters the bore 37 through a transverse groove 37:; formed in the end surface of the push pin.

The passage 39 in the valve body 3t) leads from the bore 37 to a valve bore 41 in the body 30, and the valve bore '41 in turn connects with a passage 42 leading from the valve chamber to 'a chamber 43 formed in the upper end of the valve body 30 to receive the fuel supply pipe 12. The chamber 43 includes a reduced inner end portion in which the pipe 12v is se'ated, and an enlarged outer portion receiving-a compression ring and a retaining nut 45 which compresses the ring 44.

hreferably, apressure reducing and regulating valve 46 is positioned inthe lower end of pipe 12. The valve may comprise astandard, commercially available ti-re valve similar to that shown at 20, having a valve member spring urged toward a closed position against the pressure of fluid from the supply Source with a lesser force than the force of fluid pressure and functioning in conjunction with-an orifice (not shown) in the pipe 12 or nozzle 13 offering resistance to fuel flow to maintain a substantially constant pressure and flow issuing from the nozzle for any one setting of the manually. controllable valve assembly 11.

At the juncture of the fluid passage 39 and the valve chamber 41, a valve orifice and an annular valve seat 47 are formed, and a needleshaped valve member 48 is positioned in the valve body for movement relative to the valve seat between a closed position and'various open positions to control the nate of fuel flow to the burner nozzle.

The needle valve member 48 is formed on the end of a valve stem 50 which compresses an O-ring seal 51 in the valve bore. The stem includes an enlarged intermediate portion 52 which is threaded into a sleeve or nut 53 positioned in a recess 54. The nut 53 is axially movable in the recess 54, and as illustrated (FIG. 3) is hexagonally shaped to fit the similarly shapedrecess 54 so that the nut is retained against rotation. While the nut 53 and the recess 54 have been illustrated as hexagonal in crosssection, the invention is not limited to the construction shown, but may utilize an annularly shaped nut or sleeve, retained in a similar recess and keyed or otherwise held against rotation. A radially inwardly directed flange 55 at the end of the nut 53 is engageable with the enlarged portion 52 of the stem to limit threaded adjustment of the stem in a valve opening direction.

Movement of the nut53 toward the valve seat is limited by an abutment 57 provided by a shoulder formed in the valve body, and movement of the nut in a direction away from the valve seat is limited by a second abutment pro-,

vided by a sleeve or nut 58 threaded into the 'valve body. The sleeve 58 encircles the valve stem in spaced relation thereto and includes a radially inwardly directed annular flange 60 which forms a bushing or hearing for the valve stem. A coiled compression spring 62 in the sleeve 58 encircles the valve stem in spaced relationship to the stern, and bears against the flange 60 and the nut 53 to yieldably urge the nut and the valve stem toward the valve seat 47.

Externally, a manually accessible knob 63 is friction-ally retained on the valve stem for threadably adjusting the stem between a valve closed position and various valve open positions. If an extended period of use is contemplated with the torch operating at a full flame, the needle valve may be threadably adjusted to a fully open position in which sufficient fuel passes through the valve to support a full flame at the torch nozzle. If intermittent use of the torch for only limited periods is contemplated, with alternate periods of non-use, the needle valve'may be threadably adjusted to a partially open position in which the valve passes only enough fuel to support a pilot flame at the torch nozzle, and a quick opening trigger mechanism may be used to quickly shift the valve to a fully open position during the periods of use.

The trigger mechanism referred to includes a trigger lever 65 having an intermediate portion pivoted at 66 on a lug which may be integrally formed on the valve body 30 as shown, or which may be a separate part attached to the valve body. A bifurcated end portion 67 of the lever embraces a reduced portion 68 on the valve stem and is engageable with an annular abutment 6% to shift the valve stem from a pilot flame position to a full flame position. The opposite end portion 70 of the trigger lever extends downwardly along side the container so as to be conveniently accessible to the thumb or forefinger of the hand holding the container 10.

In operation, when the needle valve is to remain closed for an extended period, the valve stem is rotated by means of the knob 63 to threadably adjust the valve stem to the left (as viewed in FIG. 2) relative to the nut 53, backing the nut to the right until it engages the abutment provided by the sleeve 58. As illustrated inYFIG. 2, the valve 7 5 is closed only by the pressure of the spring 62, and the nut 53 is illustrated in a position before engagement with the sleeve 58.

To open the valve from the closedposition described, the stem is rotated in the opposite direction to thread the nut 53 to the left until it engages the abutment 57. After engagement of the nut 53 with the abutment 57, a slight rotation of the valve stem will partially open the valve to supply sufiicient fuel for a pilot flame. The pilot position of the valve is adjustable by virtue of the threaded mounting of the stem in the nut 53. With the valve in the pilot position, it may be opened to a fully open, full flame position by the trigger mechanism orv it may be threadably adjusted to the fully open, full flame position. In the pilot position, the nut 53 and the valve stem are urged in a Valve closing direction by the spring 62, and there is a space between the nut 53 and the sleeve 58 which permits trigger movement of the valve stem and nut in a valve opening direction in opposition to the spring 62. When the trigger mechanism is used, the fully open position of the valve is determined by the position of the stop abutment provided by sleeve 58. In order to threadably open the valve from the pilot position to the full flame position, the stem may be rotated in a valve opening direction to a position determined by engagement of the enlarged portion 52 with the flange 55 on the nut 53, the opposite end of the nut being in engagement with the shoulder '57.

An import-ant advantage of the construction illustrated is provided by the arrangement of the spring 62 in spaced relation from the valve stem and in engagement with the nut 53 and the sleeve 58 without engaging thevalve stem, so that there is no tendency to shift the stem out of adjustment due to torsion in the compressed spring, as sometimes occurs if the spring direct-1y engages the valve stem or some part thereof.

The trigger lever 65, at its bifurcated end engages an annular shoulder on the valve stem for opening the valve to a full flame position without engaging the knob 63, and thus there is no tendency to strip the knob which is only friction-ally held on the stem.

I claim:

1. A control valve, comprising, a valve body having a fluid passage therein and a valve seat in the passage, a valve stem movable in the valve body toward and away from the valve seat to close and open the passage, a sleeve axially movable and non-rotatable in the valve body, said valve stem having an intermediate portion extending through the sleeve and threaded therein, means providing a first abutment in the valve body limiting movement of the sleeve toward the valve seat, means providing a second abutment in the valve body limiting move- 'ment of the sleeve away from the valve seat, a spring urging the sleeve tovvand the first abutment, one end of the stem projecting outwardly from the valve body and having a manual adjusting knob frictionally held on the end of the stem for threadahly adjusting the stem in the sleeve, means forming an annular shoulder on the valve stem optwardly of said second abutment, said valve body having an apertured lug forming a pivot axis, and a trigger lever having a midportion apertured to form a pivot axis and a bifurcated end portion, and a pivot pin through said lug in said mid portion of said trigger lever at said pivot axes, said bifurcated portion of said trigger lever embracing the stem, said annular shoulder being integral with said stem and projecting axially with respect to said knob for engagement with said trigger lever, said bifurcated end portion engaging the annular shoulder to quickly shift the valve stem and sleeve in opposition to the spring without bearing against the knob.

2.v A control valve for use in a :gas appliance to regulate the flow of pressurized gaseous fuel between a pilot flame and a utility flame rate, comprising, a valve body having a fuel passage with a valve seat therein, a valve comprising a stern in said valve body and aneedle-type head engaging said seat, continuous biasing means normaily i loading said head in direction to close said passage,

screw-threaded coupling means interconnecting said valve body and said valve stem and including means forming external surface of said enlarged end portion of the 1 valve body having a lag portion donned integrally therewith and projecting laterally outwardly of said enlarged end portion, a trigger lever having an intermediate lug portion, one of said lug portions being bifurcated and the other of said lug portions being shaped to be received between the biturcations, a pivot pin extending through both of said lug portions to pivotally connect the trigger lever to the valve body, said stem having an integral shoulder projecting axially of said knob, said trigger lever including a first end portion extending generally axially and outwardly away from said lug portion in one direction into an accessible position for manual pivoting operation of the lever, and further including a second end portion extending generally axially in an opposite direction from said lug portion and engageable with said integral shoulder on said valve stem to temporarily linearly adjust said valve stem against said continuous biasing means and increasingly open the passage for a utility flame rate of flow within the limits prescribed by said lost motion connection only when said screw-threaded coupling means is moved away from said closed position to at least a partially open position.

3. In a trigger-operable control valve, a valve body having a fluid passage therein and a valve seat in the passage, a bushing mounted in said valve body cfor limited axial movement toward and away from the valve seat, stop means limiting the movement of said bushing in the direction away from said valve seat, a valve member screw threaded in said bushing for movement upon screwing toward and away from the valve seat, said valve member being dimensioned for screwing to its closed position against said valve seat when said bushing is against said stop means, :a sleeve positioned in the valve body and having an annular spring seat surroundingthe valve member, a spring bearing against the spring seat and urging the bushing in a direction to close the valve, means for securing said bushing against rotation, said valve body having a lug forming a pivot axis, an adjustment knob connected to said valve member to effect rotational adjustment thereof, said valve member having an integral shoulder projecting axially of said knob and a trigger lever pivotally carried by said lug, said lever having a bifurcated actuating portion at its end connected to said valve member and engaging said integralshoulder to move the valve member in a valve-opening direction with the bushing in opposition to said spring upon pivotal movement of the lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 903,114 Snell Nov. 3, 1908 1,267,763 Grikscheit May 28, 1918 1,740,602 Keeler Dec. 24, 1929 2,028,844 Pope Jan. 28, 1936 2,038,508 Elliott Apr. 21, 1936 2,666,614 Grove Jan. 19, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 361,204 France of 1906 820,516 Germany of 1951 

1. A CONTROL VALVE, COMPRISING, A VALVE BODY HAVING A FLUID PASSAGE THEREIN AND A VALVE SEAT IN THE PASSAGE, A VALVE STEM MOVABLE IN THE VALVE BODY TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE VALVE SEAT TO CLOSE AND OPEN THE PASSAGE, A SLEEVE AXIALLY MOVABLE AND NON-ROTATABLE IN THE VALVE BODY, SAID VALVE STEM HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION EXTENDING THROUGH THE SLEEVE AND THREADED THEREIN, MEANS PROVIDING A FIRST ABUTMENT IN THE VALVE BODY LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE SLEEVE TOWARD THE VALVE SEAT, MEANS PROVIDING A SECOND ABUTMENT IN THE VALVE BODY LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE SLEEVE AWAY FROM THE VALVE SEAT, A SPRING URGING THE SLEEVE TOWARD THE FIRST ABUTMENT, ONE END OF THE STEM PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE VALVE BODY AND HAVING A MANUAL AJDUSTING KNOB FRICTIONALLY HELD ON THE END OF THE STEM FOR THREADABLY ADJUSTING THE STEM IN THE SLEEVE, MEANS FORMING AN ANNULAR SHOULDER ON THE VALVE STEM OUTWARDLY OF SAID SECOND ABUTMENT, SAID VALVE BODY 